The Butler weekly times., 1887-12-28

nnder his directions; some to manage
the monitors, others TO keep the sIuiees
clear. and a full score of men at the
works where the gold was separated
from the dirt, + cSs and gravel by a
process on the principle of the miners
cradle, but on q far larger scale
Several others assisted about the
works in different capacities One of
these latter, George Carling. had
charge Of the fume. reservoir and
pipes and it was his duty to walk
along them 10 the lake and back
again every other day. for the short
ness of the line made daily journey
unnecessary. When any thing was out
OF repair. he took few Of the men
with him. and mended ii.
Not very long ago. while visiting
the mining districts of California and
Nevada. the writer met both Mr..
Baird and Mr.. Carling. and in the
course Of conversation, the latter re-
lated an adventure with which he had
met a few weeks before.
ut has always been my care" said
he, "lo examine, particularly, that
part of the fume which runs along
the side of the precipice. rather
venturesome duty, assure you. In
some places can not see over ten feet
Of it at time. where it winds in and
out around the projecting rocks. At
one place it goes around crag. and
seems to be glued. rather than bolted
and stayed. to the rock At another
place it winds along shelf of rock.
but it always goes down u grade
steep enough to make the water rush
and roar in the open. box-like channel
'On this part OF the f1ume spend
about four hours Any slight damage
might soon become serious here.
If. for example, an iron brace
loosened lis hold on the hook. a hum
ared feet or more of the f1nme might
come down. and that would be quite a
disastrous accident. as we should lose
much water. and probably he obliged
to suspend work until it could be re-
paired. And. as the iron hooks do
loosen. occasionally. it is necessary for
me to examine them all. They are
fastened 10 the rock, each in a drilled
hole. and sulphur is run around them.
Then also keep the gate in renair.
as drift-wood and dirt wash in from
the lake. blocking the passage of the
water. and rendering it impossible t.
close the gate. Ny return journey l
used to accomplish quickly enough, for
I turned the water partially of. leav-
ing a running current halfway up the
sides Of the fiume. and on this en-
barked in a small canoe which one of
the workmen had made for me.
Once launched in the fiume nv
canoe would make rapid passage.
darting around the curves and along
the precipice. 1t only took abou,
twenty minutes to make the five miles
OF course it was much easier than
walking. but perhaps, it was also a
little more dangerous.
las the f1ume. when only half full.
would not keep the reservoir supplied.
I was compelled, the next time went
up, to turn on the full head. Con-
sequently Icould float down only every
other trip.
''The lake seems fed by springs. and
as its natural outlet Is damned, nc
water was wasted BY my operation. Il
was also necessary to keep the reser.
voir from overhowing in the night
and have to turn the water partly of
| at times.
If q pony were OF any use, O.
course should not have made my pas
sage in that way. but it is very rougf
and rocky in some places. and takes
an expert mountaineer to climl
around. I became so accustomed t,
the ride, that l scarcely thought of th'
danger.
1T was necessary to lie fiat on m,
back in the canoe, on account Of tn,
cross pieces across the fume. and look
ing up / could see the sky and rock.
above me, and feel my little craft m ak
the sharp corners. The side of tn
fiume served to check and correct it
lateral motion. Then, in very shor
time, l would shoot out on the broa,
waters of the reservoir, which re
sembled lake nesting between tn
hills. And made a bargain with a
Indian, who used to fetch down fis
and game TO our camp. to tote m
canoe back to the lake for me on hi
return trips.
Il was warned. however, in q yer
practical way. that these rides wer
dangerous.
One morning, as was making m
usual trip along the preclplce. an
over the craigs, noise l had neve
heard before came 10 my ears
sounded like small Niagara. an
came with such startling distinctnes
that stopped short to listen. The
it ceased. and was succeeded by du
roar. Apprehensivc of some disaster
| | hurried along. and before | had gon